Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Jesus’ Pastoral Care and the Ministry—The ministry of the Gospel and Sacraments is about Jesus coming to us with His Word and Spirit both personally and corporately. When the disciples questioned Jesus about fasting, He spoke to them about how He was the bridegroom sent from heaven and by the “new Gospel” of His love there is cause for great rejoicing by those who follow Him. In a Girl Is Raised and a Woman Is Healed the personal character of Jesus’ ministry is revealed. The woman’s flow of blood was dried up by the touch of His garment. Similarly, by the ordinary earthly elements of water, bread, and wine Jesus comes with healing to each of us. Jesus’ raising of the little girl not only indicates His power over death, but also His love in the comfort He brought to the little girl’s family as they were reunited in life. Two Blind Men Are Healed shows us the confession of faith in Jesus that every Christian has. They were beggars. They had nothing and were totally dependent upon Christ. He was the object of their faith, and His mercy delivered them. This personal ministry for sinners in need of God’s grace is seen in the Sending Out of the Twelve who, by Jesus’ authority, are called to demonstrate His compassion for those who are “like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus the Good Shepherd provides His under-shepherds to care for all the sheep of His flock. This faithful pastoral care carries with it the Promise of Persecution as ministers go out on His behalf. They are called to depend upon the Lord’s provisions alone, and when they suffer persecution, they testify to Him whose persecution brought about the salvation of those to whom they preach. Confessing Christ Before Men carries the comforting promise that Jesus will confess us before His Father who is in heaven. When John the Baptist Sends Disciples to Jesus for comfort and assurance that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus directs them to His saving ministry of Word and deed whereby He fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus’ ministry is also celebrated this week in the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles. By the Gospel of Jesus, these two sinners were made faithful apostles of Christ, proclaiming His forgiving grace to individuals and congregations alike. CP230625

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Power of the Finished Work of Christ — The power of Jesus’ finished work is on display this week in the readings from Matthew. This power to save, heal, deliver from death, and cleanse from sin is delivered to us by Jesus’ Word. Faith receives the Word of Christ and trusts in its power to save. In Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant, we see faith in Christ’s Word as the centurion comes to Jesus on behalf of his servant. He confesses his unworthiness and declares, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” In Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-law, we see the power of Jesus’ touch to restore health and “with a word” to cast out evil spirits and healed all who were sick. In Jesus Stills the Storm, He rebuked the wind and the wave, showing His power over divine judgement. When the Two Demon-Possessed Men Are Healed, we see how the demons know who Jesus is as the Son of God but are afraid of Him and His Word. This same reaction was seen in the people from the city of the Gergesenes who begged Him to depart from them. Without repentant faith in Christ, the unbeliever is afraid of Jesus and the power of His Word to save. In Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic, we see that He has given the authority of His Word to forgive sins to the Church who, by her called ministers, forgives sin in Jesus’ stead and by His command. Each Christian also has the divine mandate to forgive others according to the station and calling God has given to them. “That you my know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins…He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house” … and when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.” Finally, the call of Jesus’ Word to faith and into the Office of the Ministry is seen in Matthew, the Tax Collector. “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Ultimately, the power of Jesus’ word rests upon His finished work of salvation for us and for the whole world in His death and resurrection. If Jesus had not atoned for sin and defeated death upon the cross, He would not have risen from the dead nor would His Word have had any power to save. This power and authority of Jesus’ Word emanates from His saving work upon the cross and reaches forward and backward in time to save.CP230618

CP230611Catechesis Notes for the Week — Abraham believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness—The righteousness of God is the death of Jesus that covers our sin with God’s forgiveness. The righteousness of God in Christ’s death was witnessed throughout the Old Testament Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets. “Abraham believed in the Lord, and [the Lord] accounted it [faith in the promise of salvation] to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Out of this faith in the promise of salvation, Abraham declared to Isaac, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). Out of this faith Moses preached to the children of Israel, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today” (Exodus 14:13). By the promise of the Gospel they were called to faith in the righteousness of Christ centuries before His death. Christ is the Lamb of God which God Himself provided for our salvation. Christ accomplished everything that was necessary for our salvation in His death upon the cross. God set forth Jesus as the propitiation for our sin—the true “mercy seat” or “place of forgiveness”—through His blood. This is why Jesus speaks to us of His blood in the Sacrament of the Altar, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” For the sake of Christ’s righteousness and in the forbearance of God, the Lord passed over the sins of the people of old that He might “be just” or “perform His righteousness” in the death of His Son, as He had promised in the Scriptures, and justify all sinners through faith in Him. The Word of God calls us to faith in Christ Jesus by whom we are justified or declared righteous as a free gift of God’s grace. Christ is the content of justifying faith. He is presented to us in the Word. God is just or righteous in Christ, because Christ has made full atonement for our sin in His death and has redeemed us from sin through the shedding of His blood. God is just or righteous in declaring us righteous for Jesus’ sake. The righteousness of God is received as a free gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus and all that He has done for us. The object of saving or justifying faith is always and only Christ Jesus who suffered and died for us. Faith believes that Jesus is the righteousness of God and it is this righteousness alone that saves us from all sin and reconciles us to God. – Excerpted from Lutheran Catechesis: Catechist Edition, p. 106e.

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Jesus’ Call, the Beatitudes, and His Teaching on Righteousness—Our walk through the Gospel of Matthew continues with Jesus’ Ministry and the Call of the Fishermen to be “fishers of men.” These men were called from their livelihood as fishers to be in fulltime ministry as Jesus’ Apostles. In Jesus’ ministry they observed the power of the divine Word that they were called to preach. Throughout their three years with Jesus, they would learn dependance upon Him. The Sermon on the Mount begins with The Beatitudes which are first a description of Jesus Himself, who is poor in spirit, meek, and merciful, and then a description of what we share in through faith in Him. Faith in Christ is poor in spirit, contrite, meek, merciful, pure in heart, and hungers and thirsts for righteousness. The promise of faith in Christ is that the kingdom of heaven is ours, we shall be comforted, and we shall be filled with righteousness. Every blessing of the Beatitudes is ours through faith in Christ. Christ’s Righteousness Fulfills the Law teaches us that every jot and tittle of the Law is fulfilled by Jesus. He is without sin, and He dies upon the cross to fulfill the Law’s demands for us. This is the righteousness that is “greater than the Scribes and Pharisees” and it is received by faith alone. To counter all notions of pharisaical self-righteousness, Jesus expounds upon You Shall Not Murder, You Shall Not Commit Adultery, and You Shall Not Give False Testimony by teaching us that violation of the Law involves more than the outward act of murder, adultery, or lying. It also involves the heart. Hatred is murder. Lust is adultery. And every deceptive misleading word is of the Evil One. Jesus’ righteousness, received by faith, covers our sin and brings forth the blessed fruits that are described in the Beatitudes. CP230604